Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Boxing fight updates and results today
Re-live the action from Tokyo, where Naoya Inoue fought Marlon Tapales for undisputed status
Naoya Inoue dropped and stopped Marlon Tapales on Tuesday, becoming a two-weight undisputed champion in the process.
With his 10th-round victory in Tokyo, the Japanese unified his WBC and WBO super-bantamweight belts with Tapales’s WBA and IBF titles. The result made Inoue, 30, just the second man to become undisputed in two divisions in the four-belt era, after Terence Crawford achieved that feat in July.
Tapales, 31, was a game opponent in the Japanese capital, but ultimately the Filipino went the same way as all of Inoue’s other opponents, as the home fighter stayed unbeaten and solidified his status as a four-weight world champion.
Inoue appeared to drop Tapales with a counter jab in round two, but the referee instead ruled the moment a slip by the Filipino. However, Inoue would score official knockdowns in rounds four and 10, with the latter ending the fight.
In round four, it was a left hook by Inoue that hurt Tapales, who was then put down by an onslaught of follow-up shots. Yet the southpaw showed resilience to fight on and make the bout competitive, even landing a number of clean shots to the head and body of Inoue, targeting the latter well in the clinch.
It seemed that the fight would go the distance, until Tapales stumbled backwards and fell to his knees in round 10, despite appearing to block a heavy right cross. The power of the shot seemingly proved too much for the WBA and IBF champion, who crawled forwards but could not stand in time to beat the referee’s count.
Re-live updates below.
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Fight card in full
Naoya Inoue vs Marlon Tapales (WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF super-bantamweight titles)
Seiya Tsutsumi vs Kazuki Anaguchi (bantamweight)
Kanamu Sakama vs John Paul Gabunilas (flyweight)
Yoshiki Takei vs Mario Diaz Maldonado (super-bantamweight)
Andy Hiraoka vs Sebastian Diaz Maldonado (super-lightweight)
Suguru Ishikawa vs Fuga Uematsu (featherweight)
Rikiya Sato vs Keisuke Endo (super-featherweight)
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: How to watch online and on TV
In the UK, the event will air live on Sky Sports. Subscribers can also stream the fights live on the broadcaster’s website and Sky Go app. In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider.
What time does Inoue vs Tapales start and how to watch today
Boxing Day lives up to its name, as Naoya Inoue faces Marlon Tapales in an undisputed title clash
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: What time does fight start?
Inoue vs Tapales takes place at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
The main card is due to begin at 10am GMT (3am PT, 5am CT, 6am ET), with ring walks for the main event set to follow at 12pm GMT (5am PT, 7am CT, 8am ET).
We’ll have you covered with all the build-up and undercard updates, then coverage of the main event of course.
What time does Inoue vs Tapales start and how to watch today
Boxing Day lives up to its name, as Naoya Inoue faces Marlon Tapales in an undisputed title clash
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE
Naoya Inoue and Marlon Tapales go head to head in Tokyo today, with each man looking to emerge as the undisputed super-bantamweight champion.
Inoue became a four-weight champion in July, when he obliterated Stephen Fulton to win the WBC and WBO super-bantamweight belts, and now, the Japanese superstar is targeting Tapales’s WBA and IBF titles.
If Inoue is victorious, he will become just the second man to reign as undisputed champion in two divisions in the four-belt era; the “Monster” previously held all the major belts at bantamweight, after spells as a world champion at super-flyweight and light-flyweight.
The unbeaten 30-year-old will be the favourite against Tapales, 31, though the Filipino is no pushover. Then again, the same has been said of many of Inoue’s opponents, only for the pound-for-pound talent to dismantle them with ease.
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